Former Bears coach Smith speaks Friday with club; Whisenhunt, Arians expected in the next few days

Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley reportedly interviewed with the Chargers general manager and his selection team Thursday night, and on Friday they interviewed former Bears coach Lovie Smith.

The Chargers also have been linked with Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden, younger brother of ESPN commentator and former Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden.

Bradley, 46, would be a first-time head coach.

His NFL tenure began in 2006 with three seasons in Tampa Bay, initially in charge of defensive quality control before becoming the linebackers coach. He replaced current Chargers linebackers coach Joe Barry, who left to become Lions defensive coordinator.

In 2009, Bradley accepted the Seahawks’ coordinator position. The Seattle defense has finished in the top 10 in yards and points allowed each of the past two years, including first in points and fourth in yards in 2012.

His team is in the playoffs, facing the Falcons on Sunday, but the Chargers were permitted to interview him.

“Assistant coaches on playoffs teams with byes could be interviewed the week leading up to the Wild Card games,” said NFL spokesman Greg Aiello in an email. “Those on teams that won Wild Card games can be interviewed this week.”

Smith spent the past nine years in Chicago.

His teams appeared in one Super Bowl, two NFC Championship Games and won three division titles but missed the playoffs five of the past six years.

One question is important for him to answer in interviews: If hired, who is coming with him? Smith must be able to deliver San Diego an offensive coordinator.

He had four different ones in Chicago, and the offensive struggles under Smith’s watch were a cited factor for his firing despite a 10-win season.

“We’ve had defensive excellence,” Bears General Manager Phil Emery told Chicago reporters this month, “but during the course of coach Smith’s years here, we’ve had one offense that was ranked in the top 15.”

The next Chargers coach will inherit an offense that ranked 31st in the NFL in total yards, worst in franchise history.

If that coach comes from a heavy defensive background, be it Smith or someone else, the caliber of offensive coordinator he’ll bring is key.

Like Smith, Whisenhunt has a Super Bowl appearance on his head coach résumé.

Unlike him, he holds an offensive background.

Before spending the past six seasons with the Cardinals, Whisenhunt served as the Steelers’ coordinator from 2004 to 2006. The 50-year-old also has NFL experience coaching tight ends and special teams.

The Cardinals fired him last month along with General Manager Rod Graves and nearly the entire offensive staff.

Arizona finished 5-11 for the second time in three years.

The franchise posted a winning record three times the past 23 seasons. Two came with Whisenhunt as head coach.

Arians spent last season with Telesco in Indianapolis.

His offensive coordinator role expanded to interim head coach in support of Chuck Pagano, who was fighting leukemia. The Colts went 11-5 after finishing 2-14 in 2011.

Arians, 60, has never been a head coach.

He was hired as wide receivers coach at Pittsburgh in 2004 and promoted to Steelers offensive coordinator three years later. Pittsburgh won Super Bowls after the 2005 and 2008 seasons.